Indicating device for machine tools



M. PEGARD INDICATING DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS v Sept. 22, 1953 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6-, '1945 M. PEGARD INDICATING DEVICE FORMACHINE TOOLS Sept. 22, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1945 Sept.22, 1953 I M. PEGARD 2,652,804

INDICATING DEVICE FOR MACHINE-TOOLS Filed Dec. 6, 1945 '3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented Sept. 22, 1953 INDICATING DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOLS MarcelPgard, Paris, France Application December 6, 1945, Serial No. 633,184

a In France January 31, 1942 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946Patent expires January 31, 1962 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to indicators, and more particularly to anindicator for a machine tool which shows the operator thereof thesettings of the various controls of the tool at any time. Since thesettings of the controls of the tool determine the operation of the toolon the work piece, the indicator also gives an indirect indication ofthe operation of the tool.

For instance, my indicator may be used with a boring machine forindicating the settings of the control mechanisms determining thecutting speeds and the advances or feeds of the tool and may also beused to indicate the speeds of rotation of the surfacing plate and theadvances or feeds of the tool corresponding to the speeds of rotation ofthe plate.

The control mechanism itself may be of conventional nature and may be ofthe type shown in my Patent No. 2,488,324, issued November 15, 1949, andparticularly as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 8 of the patent.

' The indicator of my invention comprises a pair of cooperatingindicating devices, one of the devices being a movable member having aplurality of faces on which information is arranged in a plurality ofcolumns and rows. The information may indicate, for instance, thecutting speeds of the tool and the speeds of rotation of the surfacingplate. A pair of windows may be provided in an appropriate plate, e. g.the bed plate of a machine tool, through which one face of the movablemember may be exhibited at a time. The movable member may be a polygonaldrum rotatable by a control member to move one face after another beforethe window in the bed plate. I

The control levers of the machine tool which select the conditions ofthe tool, e. g. the cutting speeds and the speeds of rotation may belocated in the vicinity of the movable indicating device and mayindicate, through cooperation with suitable marks or signals, theinformation correlated to the settings of the controls.

Adjacent the first indicating devicea second indicating device'carryinginformation of other conditions of the tool, e. .g. the advances orfeeds for which the controlling mechanism of the tool is set, may belocated. This information may be also arranged in a series of columnsand rows correlated to the columns and rows of information on the firstindicating device.

; The first indicating device may be used to exhibit two different setsof information, e. g. the'outting speeds of the tool and the rotationalspeed-of the surfacing plate. The advances or 2 feeds correlated to thecutting speeds of the tool are different from those correlated to therotational speed of the cutting plate. Consequently, the secondindicating device may also have a pair of sets of information, one setbeing correlated to the cutting speed of the tool and representing theadvance or feed and the other set being cor- .related to the rotationalspeed of the surfacing plate and also indicating the advance or feed.Means are provided to obscure one of the two sets of .informationcarried by the second indicating device, said means being under thecontrol of the movable first indicating device so that only the set ofinformation carried by the second indicating device correlated to theset of information exhibited by the first indicating device is visible.The second indicating device may be a plate carrying at least two setsof information and the obscuring means may be a movable grid locatedbetween the plate and a viewing window positioned opposite said plate inthe bed plate of the tool. The grid may have a plurality of slotsextending therethrough to permit observation of a selected set ofinformation and may be movable to control which set of information is tobe visible.

In the annexed drawings, I have illustrated solely by way of example anembodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the novel indicator;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the indicator with the bed platesremoved;

Fig. 2a is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the plate indicating the advances;

Fig. 5 is a separate view-of the grid;

Fig. 6 illustrates the mounting of my improved device on thespindle-holding carriage of a boring machine.

As apparent on the drawing, the novel arrangement includes a polygonaldrum a (Fig. 2) carried by a shaft 12. A control knob 0 attached to theshaft b allows rotary movement of the drum a about its axis so as tobring the desired face of the drum in front of the window (2 in thefront plate e of the device (Fig. 1)

A small olygonal block f having the same number of sides as the drum ais keyed to the shaft b. It carries on each of its sides the value of ausual linear cutting speed.

each row of each group being =clistmgiuished-i-rom the other rows in thegroup by colour. In the specific example illustrated, the horizontalrows are arranged in groups of ttwogthe rows being of alternate colours,say red andblue The difierent sliding gears (not shown) of the machineproviding the speed cembinations which allow the attainment, in theexample illustrated of eighteen speeds, are controlled by three leversLl, L2 and L3.

Thethree levers LJ,.L2, ,L3 are also shown in Fig. 6 the levers TL] andL2 are the change speed levers for the spindle; the lever L3 isa changespeed lever for the spindle and the advances.

The lever L2 may assume three positions, corresponding to three speeds.In each of these positions, a pointer i carried by the lever L2 comesinto register with one of the three lines or signals 9, 1a, or Z lyingin vertical alignment with the corresponding compartment columns of theface of the drum a'visible through the window d (Fig. 1').

The lever Ll may assume two operating .positions corresponding totwospeeds, for each of which a pointer i integral therewith is located infront of a disc m or n of different colours, say blue or red.

t e l v r L8 ont ols th ou h the en y of a connecting rod '0, a rod 17provided with a horizontal cross-bar g formin a double pointercooperating both with the left-hand indicating device describedhereinabove and with theright hand indicating device describedhereinbelow.

The three "levers having received given positions, the lever L2indicates thev column to The read, the lever Ll the colour of thecompartment and the leverL3 the compartment of the selected colour in"the column considered, the value of which is to be read.

To the right hand side ofv the apparatus lies the 'advance'indicatingdevice which is constituted asfollows.

The front plate of the device is provided with a rectangular window 2'inside whichappe'ars a grid s provided with three vertical slots t (Fig.5) Behind this grid lies an indicating plate usubdivided into sixcolumns. The odd-numbered columns indicate the various advances or feeds'of the machine and the even-numbered, columns those of the surfacingplate, or reversely. Each column is subdivided into superposedcompartments of different colours.

Two control leversMl and M; are arranged underneath said indicatingdevice. Said levers are the same as those shown at c in the generalviewof the boring machine (Fig. 6), i. e. the levers for changing theadvances or feeds.

These levers carry pointers i' and W, similar to the pointers on thelevers Li and L2. Thus, when a certain position is given to the threelevers Ml, M2 and L3, the pointers i and i indicate thecompartmentinside which the value oftheadvances shouldbe read.

But if, in the left hand indicating device, the

4 face, or one of the faces indicating the speeds of the plate ratherthan of the spindle, is caused to appear through the window 1', thevalues shown in, say, the even-numbered columns of the right hand orsecond indicating device are no longer valid and should be replaced bythe indications shown in the odd-numbered columns, 7 To this end. thegrid s should be shifted laterally in front of the plate u, thusallowing observation of the odd-numbered columns and obscuring theevennumberedcolumns,v This action is here provided by the cooperation ofa cam 12 with an extension sc of thegrid s. The end of the extensionlies adjacent the .sideof the drum a, so that, on

movement of the drum a to a position such that theface or faces showingthe rotational speeds of the surfacing plate appears in front of thewindow 02, the cam 22 moves the extension 1: away from the a drum, thusmoving the grid s against the action of the return spring 1/ to uncoverthe odd-numbered columns and cover the even-numbered columns of theplate u. In the example illustrated, the sixth face only of the drum ais used for the rotary speeds of the surfacing plate. Consequently, onlyone cam 11 is provided on the sideof the rotary drum on for shifting thegrid when the said sixth face of the drum appears in front of the windowd. But ifthe arrangement of the machine is such that, several faces. ofthe drum carry values or information correlated to the speeds ofrotation of the plate, the drum is provided with as many cams,,so thatthe grid is moved againstthe action of the spring every time a face ,ofthe drum. indicating rotary speed of the surfacing plate appears infront of the window (1.

From the above, it is apparentthat when the movable indicating deviceit, here a rotary drum is provided with two different sets ofinformation for indicating different conditions of the machine, thesecond indicating device also carries two sets of information, one ofthe sets being correlated to one set ofiinfor mation on the firstindicating device and the other set of information carried by the secondindicating device being correlated to the second set of informationexhibited by the first indicating device. The grid and cam arrangementprovided in the present invention makes itcertain that only the set ofinformation carried by the second indicating de vice which is correlatedto the set of information exhibited by the first indicating device isvisible to the per t r of the machine or tool ljlhrough the windowopposite the second indicatingdevice It is also obvious that thespecific information to be read in each indicating device is clearly in;dicated without ambiguity bythe, cooperation between the control'leversand the signal means provided for each indicating device.

Obviously, within the scope of the invention, the detailed 'arrangementsof theindicating de vices and of the signal means may be varied inaccordance with the particular machine or tool.

1. In a machinetoolhavinga plurality of control leversforcontrollingconditions of the tool, an cat c mpris n ,i iqrmeti n. ca ierexhibitinga set of information correlated with all settings of thecontrol levers, saidsetof information being arranged in columns androws,

' a first signal means having a plurality of signals,

one of said signals being positioned adjacent each of said columns, oneof said control levers being cooperable with said signals of saidfirstsignal means to indicate thecolumn of information 5 correlated witheach setting of said one control lever, a second of said control levershaving a pointer connected thereto movable therewith to indicate thegroup of adjacent rows of said set of information within which theinformation correlated with each setting of said second control lever islocated, and a second signal means having a signal for each row of saidgroup of adjacent rows of information, a third one of said controllevers being cooperable with the signals of said second signal means toindicate the row of said group of adjacent rows of informationcorrelated with each setting of said third control lever.

2. An indicator comprising a movable first indicating device operable inone position to exhibit one set of information and in another positionto exhibit another set of information, a second indicating devicecarrying a first set of information correlated to said one set ofinformation and a second set of information correlated to said other setof information, means operable in one position to obscure said first setof information carried by said second indicating device and operable inanother position to obscure said second set of information carriedthereby, means operable by movement of said first indicating device fromsaid one position to said other position to cause movement of saidobscuring means to said one position and means operable upon movement ofsaid first indicating device from said other position to said oneposition to cause movement of said obscuring means to said otherposition, whereby only the set of information carried by the secondindicating device correlated to the set of information exhibited by thefirst indicating device is visible.

3. An indicator as defined in claim 2 in which said first set ofinformation and said second set of information are each arranged on saidsecond indicating device in at least one column, said columns beingspaced apart and substantially parallel to each other, and saidobscuring means is an opaque grid having at least one slot therethroughconforming in configuration to said columns of said first and secondsets of information. I

4. An indicator comprising a movable first indicating device operable inone position to exhibit one set of information and in another positionto exhibit another set of information, a

second indicating device carrying in at least one column a first set ofinformation correlated to said one set of information of said firstindicating device and in at least one column spaced from andsubstantially parallel to said one column of said first set ofinformation a second set of information correlated to said other set ofinformation on said first indicating device,

an opaque grid having at least one slot therethrough conforming inconfiguration to said columns of said first and second sets ofinformation carried by the second indicating device, said grid beingmovable to position said slot opposite said column of said second set ofinformation carried by the second indicating device when the firstindicating device is moved from said one position to said other positionand to position said slot opposite said column of said first set ofinformation carried by the second indicating device when the firstindicating device is moved from said other position to said oneposition,

resilient means urging said grid to the location in which said slot ispositioned opposite said column of said first set of information carriedby the second indicating device, said grid having an extension with aface positioned adjacent said first indicating device, and a cam carriedby the first indicating device operable to contact said face and movesaid grid to the location in which said slot is positioned opposite saidcolumn of said second set of information carried by the secondindicating device when the first indicating device is moved from saidone position to said other position.

5. An indicator as defined in claim 4 in which said first indicatingdevice is a polygonal drum having information on its faces, said one setof information being on at least one of said faces and said other set ofinformation being on at least one of its other faces, one of said facesbeing exhibited at a time and said drum being rotatable to change theface exhibited, and said second indicating device is a plate carryingsaid first and said second sets of information.

6. In a machine tool having a plurality of control members forcontrolling conditions of the tool, an indicator comprising a firstindicating device exhibiting in one position one set of informationarranged in columns and rows and in another position another set ofinformation arranged in columns and rows, a first signal means having asignal for each of said columns of the information exhibited by saidfirst indicating device, a second signal means having signalscorresponding to said rows of the information exhibited by said firstindicating device, at least one of the control members being cooperablewith the signals of said first signal .means to indicate the column ofinformation lated to the setting of said one of the other controlmembers, a second indicating device carrying a first set of informationcorrelated to said one set of information exhibited by the firstindicating device and a second set of information correlated to saidother set of information carried thereby, means operable in one positionto obscure said first set of information carried by the secondindicating device and in another position to obscure said second set ofinformation carried thereby, means operable by movement of said firstindicating device from said one position to said other position to causemovement of said obscuring means to said one position, means operableupon movement of said first indicating device from said other positionto said one position to cause movement of said obscuring means to saidother position, whereby the proper column and row of the informationexhibited by the first indicating device correlated to the settings ofsaid control members is indicated and only the set of informationcarried by the second indicating device correlated to the set ofinformation exhibited by the first indicating device is visible.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 6 inwhich said first and-said secondsets of information are each arranged on said second indicating devicein at least one column, said columns being spaced apart andsubstantially parallel to each other, and said obscuring means is anopaque grid having ,at least one' slot therethrough conforming inconfiguration to said columns of said first and second sets ofinformation'carried by the second indicating device.

'-tions adjacent ea'ch *Gf the-signalS --'ofsaid firs't signal means,said second signal 11162118 1155 a signal *corr'espondingfto theevenn'umb'ered rows of information exhibitedby the =fi1'st indicatingdevice and. -a signal "corresponding to the oddnumbered rows of"information exhibited *by -the first *ind-icatingdevice; one of' theother or said control members bingmovzible to p'os'itions adjacent eachof the signals '"of sai'd second signal means, and another-of the otherofsaid control members havinga ointer connected -thereto for movement*therewitn "to -posit'ions' adjacent each of the groups 'o f On'e'-o1ii=nunibered and one even nunibered column of information.

9:111 a machine 'tool havin'gat l'east four control means forcontrelli'ng at least f'our condi't'ions "of the tool, in *Wlii'cheachef said control means hasa*-plura1ity df control mernbers'g an-indicator comprising a "first i'I1dicating 'device exhibiting in oneposiit-on one set of information correlated 'to the :settings ofthecontrol members of the first of said. conti'oL-means and in anotherposition exhibiti ng another set of information nor- -related tothe'settings of the control members of the second of saitlcontrol-meanssaidaa-se'ts of ormationbing -'arranged incolumns and rows on sai'dfi'rst indica-ting device, first-signal means having a signal for each-0f said' columns of information exhibited 'b'y said first indicatingdevice;- second signal 'rneans"-having signalsow respondi'ng tosaid'rows of information ei'ihibited by said first-indicating device; atle'aStone of the'control m'embers-of each of said aniisecond -control-"means 7 being cooperable' with the signals-oi said: first-"signal meansto indicate the column of information eiihibite'd by the 'fir's'tindicatingdevice correIatew-tothe settm -of said one of the-'contrdl"--"meniber's at least one of the other control' members ofeachof said first and second control "means being cooperabl'e with thesignals of said second signal means to "indicate the row" ofiriformation'ex ihibit'e'clby the y'first "indicating E devicecorrelated to the setting rofsaiid "one of the-other-contrdl membersasecond indicating -device' "carrying '-a fir's't set -'of 1) information"correlated to the -settings of Y the' :third'io'f said =c'ontrol-"meansand to said one set =01 information *ezhi'bitd by 1 the f rst inciicati'ng device and carrying a second set of information correlated to thesettings -of the f ourtn' ofsaid. control means and to-said' o'therset-ofin'formation exhibited by the fi'rs't indicating device said firstand said second sets -"df information carried by the "second indicatingdevice being-arranged in columns and rows on said '--'second indicatingdevice, "a third signal mean's having signals for each of said columnsof informationxcarried zby said "second I indicating device; iafourth 1signal lni'e'ans having ;?sig'n'als correspondingito saidvrows ofinformation carried by'the secondaindicating a device, at least oneofthe-control' members of each of the third and fourth control means=becooperable with the signalsof said third signalmea-ns to mdicatethecolumn :of infOrmation carried "by the second indicating devicecorrelated to .the'se'tting of said one of the control members and atleast one o'fthe'other icontrol members" of each -of 'saidfthird" andfourth "control means cooperating with" the-signals "of amen said-fourthsignalm'eans to indicate the'rowof information carried *by the secondindicating device correlated "to thesetting of said one of the othercontrohmem'bers, means operablei-n one posiitonto obscure said first-setof information carried by these'cond -indicating'device and inanotherposition' to-obscnre -said second set of information carriedthereby, means operable by movement of'said first indicating {devicefrom "said one position to said other position to cause movement ofsaidobscuring means tosaid one position; and means operable upon movement ofthe firstinclicating-device from said other position to said oneposition to cause movement of .said obscuring means tosaid otherposition, whereby the proper column and row ofthe iniormationexhibitedbysaid first "and second indicating device'scorrelated to "the settings--of 'the'control means "is indicated and-only the se't IDf information-carried bythe second indicating 'devi'c'e correlated to the-set ofinformation exliibi'tedby-the first indicating device is 1 visible. 10:-The apparatus defined by claim-9 in which said "first'and 'saidsecondsets'of information are "each arranged "on said *second indicatingdevice in at'leasttwocolumns'spaced from ancl su'b- "stantially'"parallel "to each other, and said =o'bscuring'meansis an opaque gridhavingat leas't two slots therethro'ug'h conformingineenfiguraftiontosaid columnsofsai-id first and-saidseeond "sets'ofinfOirhatidn carried by the second indicating device.

11. The apparatus fiefined by -c1aim' 9 in which said *n-rst signalmeans and saicl third signal "means eachhas one s'igna l aligned,respectively, "witheac'h of-sai'd *co-lurhnsoi information exhibited bythe first and second indicating devices, said one of the control members"of each 'of "said firstand second control Lmeans being movable topositions adjacent each 01 the signals of the first signal means andsaid 'one ot the control members of each-of said third and fourthcontrol means being movab'le to positions adjacent each of the signalsof the third signal :means, saidsecond-anti said fourth signaltmeans=means; respectively, and another of the-control members of the -eontfolmeans having 'a pointer connected thereto for movement to:positions-adjacent each of 'the groupsiof "tvvoiadjacent colu'mns ofinformation on b'oth' the Efirst and the second indicating device's;

MARCEL PEGARB.

References Cited -in thefile =of thi's patent UNI-TED PATENTS 1;75Bj427.Burgenua May 13,-1930 1,813,002 iHamersveld -Ju1y '1, 1931 1,817,723I-Iamersveld Aug. 4, .1931

7 1 99 15349 Gallimore Feb. 12, 71935

